Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 42.25.5

42.25.5

The conversation of yesternight was too extraordinary and too interesting, not to deserve some observations on my part. However, as adding new observations would only swell a letter into the size of a pamphlet, I shall content myself with putting in order, such remarks as you have made yourself, and such answers as I then gave. That I am firmly resolved never to commence a polemic correspondence on the merits and demerits of the Seir-el-Mutaqherin, is certain these four years, and the resolution is unalterably fixed. If then I deviate in this single instance from such a resolution, it is not precisely to shew, that a defence might be set up, but barely to submit to the animadversion of a friend, who has observed this morning, that such a disregard to the opinion of the public (of which to-day you seem to be the organ) would be deemed disrespectful and supercilious. It is then out of a respectful regard to that same public, I now stand up to speak.